A/N: I know, a new one, but this is one you guys will like from the beginning. I'm starting off after Bleach 538 and next chapter will come the actual showdown between Ichigo and Juha Bach.

I don't own Bleach or The Night Angel Trilogy

Chapter 1: The Reborn

Ichigo watched as the Asauchi stood up. Its eyes came into his view and he let a small smirk grace his face. They where black sclera overlapped with white eyes and black pupils, just like his hollow's eyes before he used the Saigo no Getsuga Tensho.

"It's been awhile, huh? Ichigo?" The Zanpakuto spirit asked in a calm tone. Ichigo nodded and place a hand on his partner's shoulder.

"I'm guessing that you're my hollow and the original Zangetsu merged as one, right?"Ichigo asked just to see if his suspicions were right. The Zanpakuto nodded to confirm it's wielder's thoughts.

"Yes, I am no longer just Zangetsu or your hollow, but a new being entirely. I am…"

Oetsu was hammering on the new blade that Ichigo would be using to fight with. He smirked at just how quickly they all submitted to the hybrid. At first he was surprised at how they just seemed to kneel before him, but after finding out who he truly was, going through the Winter War by sacrificing the original Zangetsu and his hollow, and then wanting to come back to it all, Oetsu sholdn't have been.

Mera looked over his shoulder to see the new blade. She was impressed that the blade almost looked like the kid's old Bankai blade, just not completely black and with a few changes. It was as long as the original daito of Tensa Zangetsu, the hilt was wrapped in a red cloth the end of it had a small silver chain, and the tsuba looked to be a rectangle with two crescent moons on it. Her wielder lifted the blade and he smiled at his work.

"Time to get him to train with it now." Oetsu said cheerfully.

Renji was sweating heavily as he swung at the Zero squad captain once more, but missed as the captain side stepped and rushed at him. Renji jumped to the side as quickly as he could. For a large man, the captain could move fast. Renji was underestimating him, it was time to take it up a notch.

"Howl, Zabimaru!" Renji roared, his sword becoming larger and segmented. Renji smirked as the man looked at him with approval. The captain drew his sword and held it out in front of him. The man was strangely calm for one who was fighting; it was as if Renji wasn't even worth his time. Renji narrowed his eyes and cautiously took a step forward. For what seemed to be hours to Renji, they stood in silence as the two observed the other. Renji was the first to act.

Renji swung his sword in a vertical arc and let the blade extend towards his opponent. The captain shunpo-ed out of its range and shunpo-ed again, this time behind Renji and went to strike him. Renji couldn't block the attack in time; he gritted his teeth for the attack that would defeat him.

But it never came. Renji looked before him and saw a head of bright orange hair and a katana held out in front of the orangette.

"Sorry for the wait, Renji, Osho-san, but Oetsu took his time with my Zanpakuto." Renji smirked as his friend and ally swung in a horizontal arc pushing the captain, Osho, back a few feet away from the two comrades.

Osho smirked at the two shinigami in front of him. Ichigo had readied himself for whatever the captain had to throw at him. Osho relaxed himself and let out a breath of air. "Now that Ichigo is here, Senjumaru, if you don't mind?"

From thin air the other captain of the Zero Squad appeared and started chanting under her breath. Around her symbols on the ground appeared and started to glow a bright orange.

"The kido she is using will allow us to use this area as if it were the Dangai." Osho told the two shinigami. Ichigo's eyes widened in surprise, realizing what would happen he asked a question.

"Just how long do you plan on us being here?" Ichigo asked just as he recovered from his surprise and go into a serious expression.

Osho snapped his fingers and two Tenshintai appear. Both Ichigo and Renji are shocked by the sudden appearance of the dolls.

"How-" Ichigo begins to ask, but is cut off by Senjumaru.

"Before Urahara Kiskuke was exiled, he was a candidate for the Zero Squad. He had created an awesome device in which the user could learn Bankai in three days." She said going toward the two training dolls. She lightly touched it with one of her puppet like limbs, as if it would break under the slightest shift in weight. "With his help we have modified it to train you."

"Ichigo, to answer your question, three hours will pass outside this area. You know what that means am I correct?" Osho asked in a calm even tone. Ichigo nodded and answered the man.

"It means we'll spend nine months in here training, guess that'll mean me learning even more about my partner's true self." Ichigo stated with a smirk.

Renji look at Ichigo and gave his own smirk. The fire in his friend's eyes was back, he was ready to fight Juha Bach and win. He was going to ready himself for the train when he stopped realizing something.

"Wait your 'partner's true self'? I thought you knew Zangetsu's true self?" Renji asked with a serios, but confused look.

Ichigo smirked again. "You'll find out what I mean." Right? Partner?

Of course…Partner

[World of the Living: Two hours into training]

Isshin was back inside of his house when it began. He had just noticed the strong reiatsu enter the Living World. He narrowed his eyes as he felt how familiar it was. He knew exactly who it was and he was ready to fight him for what he had done. He looked over to see Yuzu and Karin at the table working on homework and he smiled.

"Girls, I need you to go to Urahara Shoten, okay. There's somebody coming and I need you to not be here." He said with a sad smile. Karin looked at him hard in the eyes. He looked her back in the eyes. Karin nodded and gathered her things. Yuzu was appalled by her father's actions.

"Who's going to cook for you in a few minutes if I'm no-"

"Yuzu come on." Karin commanded. Yuzu was shocked by her twins actions. "Bu-"This time her father stopped her. "It'll be fine Ichigo'll be back to bring you home and he'll take care of the two of you." Again he gave the two a sad smile.

"Okay Dad, but it better not be some strange lady none of us have met." Isshin was dumbfounded by his daughter's statement.

"Of course not! I could never do such a thing!" He said in his usual jovial tone, making his strawberry blonde daughter smile happily. They both had what they needed and left for the shop.

After they left Isshin grabbed his soul candy and popped it in his mouth. He exited his gigai and saw the gikon take over. "Go to the remaining Vizards and tell them not to interfere. This is my fight alone." The gikon nodded and left the house as fast as it could to the warehouse district.

Isshin went over to the memorial picture of his wife and gently touched it. "If I die, I won't care. Ichigo can handle things after I'm gone. He's exactly as you thought he would be. A Guardian." He said aloud and left the house to meet up with the source of the reiatsu.

This is farewell, Ichigo, my son

[Soul Society: Minutes later]

Mayuri was typing on his computer when a window popped up on his screen.

"Hmm, what's this?" His eyes widened as he read the window containing an alert that The Vandereich had entered the World of the Living.

"NEMU! TELL THE CAPTAIN GENERAL THAT THE ENEMY HAS GONE TO THE WORLD OF THE LIVING! NOW!"

[World of the Living: Same time as Soul Society]

Isshin was panting as he held his blade out in front of him. "Looks like in the time you invaded Soul Society, you've found something, Juha." Isshin spat out.

Juha Bach smiled grimly at the father of Kurosaki Ichigo. He pointed his blade at the man and charged an arrow. "Why yes, yes I have. I finally gained the power to stay whole." He told Isshin. Isshin gritted his teeth. Shit, guess I'm gonna have to take it up a notch, He thought to himself

Yes my partner, it seems that we will, Engetsu reminded his partner. Isshin smiled sadly at his partner's words. He set his face into a stoic expression and quietly said the release.

"Burn, Engetsu." His sword erupted into flames and Isshin immediately shunpo-ed behind Juha Bach. Isshin swung his blade in a horizontal arc and roared. "GETSUGA TENSHO!"

[Royal Palace: 9 months into the training]

Ichigo panted as he was now being pushed to his limits. Damn, it, this can't be all that I have after all this time of training! He rushed his Zanpakuto once more, only to be sent flying by his partner shunpo-ing to his side and delivering a kick to his side. Ichigo crashed into the ground hard, forming a crater from the impact.

"This is it? This is the power of the man called a Hero?! Pathetic!" His Zanpakuto shouted. Ichigo slowly got up, but his hands were shaking from the weight of his Zanpakuto's power. Ichigo growled at himself for being weak. Get to your feet, Ichigo, if you don't then you'll never learn his powers, Ichigo berated himself for his shaking hands.

"What was it that Zangetsu said when you first called him out?" Ichigo's eyebrow rose at the question. "The hell does th-" He was interrupted by his partner's roar."ANSWER ME! ICHIGO!" Ichigo narrowed his eyes at the sword spirit.

"Abandon your fear. Look forward. Go forward and never stop. Stop and you shall age. Hesitate and you shall die." Ichigo said remembering the words that had been etched into his heart. His partner gave him a look of approval. "That's right, Ichigo. Now what did your hollow ask you?"

Ichigo's eyes widened as he now knew what his Zanpakuto was doing. "Ichigo, what's the difference between a King and His Horse? I don't mean some kiddy shit answer like, "One's a man and the other is a beast." Or "One has two legs and the other has four." I'm talking about their Form, Ability, and Power! If they're all the same, what's the difference? What make one the King, and charges into battle, while the other becomes the Horse and carries the King? The answer is quite simple…INSTINCT!" As he finished he lifted himself off the ground and held his blade out in front of him. He felt something snap inside of him, as if some block had been tore down. Power flooded his body as he lifted his head that was hanging low. His eyes glowing an azure blue.

The Zanpakuto smirked at his partner. That's it Ichigo, accept who you are and accept me as your blade, as your partner

Ichigo raised his sword high over his head. "Getsuga," Ichigo began to push his reiatsu into the blade. "TENSHO!" As he roared he released a large crescent wave of blue white energy at his opponent.

The wave hit the Zanpakuto with incredible power. The Zanpakuto struggled against it as it pushed him farther back. He roared with power and pushed back with all his might and swung his blade upward, sending the wave into the sky. He panted as Ichigo slashed him from behind. The Zanpakuto fell to his hands and knees.

"You have done well, Ichigo, you have the right to use it whenever you please." The Zanpakuto faded from the Tenshintai and into Ichigo. Ichigo raised his hand up level with his chest. "I won't let you down, Partner."

"Sir, Captain Osho, we have an emergency! I know you said not to interfere with the training, but it is a true emergency! They have entered the World of The Living! Several forces are fighting as we speak, including the ex-captain, Shiba Isshin." Said a man in a messenger uniform.

Ichigo's eyes widened at the new information. "Well, Ichigo, what are we waiting for," Ichigo turned to see Renji finishing his training. "Let's go kick some ass!" Ichigo nodded and looked to Osho, who nodded at them. "Good luck, Ichigo, Renji." The two shinigami looked each other in the eyes and nodded and shunpo-ed away from the Royal Palace.

"Renji, open the get now!" Ichigo shouted to his friend, who complied, forming a Senkaimon in mid air. Ichigo went through first followed by Renji. They flew through the Dangai with unmatched speed. As they reached the end of the tunnel Ichigo drew his blade in its sealed form and for the first time in nine months said his Zanpakuto's release.

"Pierce the skies, Tenrai Zangetsu!"